The Portland daily press., 1887-04-01
GONE AT SEQ, 700.
Interesting Description OF the Sale Of
Messlonler's Masterpiece.

When Two negro servants, gloyed and in
livery, drew back the great red curtain that
covered Meissonier's masterpiece at CHECKER
ing hall, New York. Friday eyeping, hush
crept over the throng of thousands whQ at
tended the third night of the Stewart sale
1t was ''FrIedland-1S07, the loving tribute
of the greatest artist of France to the great
est monarch in Frances history.
Il did not intend TO paint a battle" he has
said. II wanted TO paint Napoleon at the
zenith of his glory. l wanted to paint the
love, the alteration of the soldiers for the
great captain in whom they had faith and for
whom they were ready to die"
And that he did 1t no man has questioned
A painter less great in words than was Jean
Louis Ernest Meissonier with his brush
could do poor Justice TO the canvas before
which all New York sat hushed that night
1t was ''le tout New York" of verify that
made up the audience that packed the seats
the aisles and the standing room, floor and
gallery, OF the large audi orium. twas New
York aristOcratlc, New York artistic gathered
anonymously, but all hushed by a common
spirit The auctioneer, with an inspiration
of good taste that was pleasant, said net a
word. The audience gazed. Then after a
time came forth sonorously on the stiffness
Fifty thousand dollars"
Again the audience looked some at the
speaker, James +. Sutton, and others at the
picture. Fifty thousand dollars for a little
piece of cloth and pigments only 96 inches
long and "a inches hight Some cnconciOus-
ly shrugged their shoulders. Others
"Fifty-One thousand dollars"
The audience breathed a sigh of relief
They thought 1t had gone. The auctiOneer
re-awakened to his business duty had said
''iifty-one thousand dollars" over and over
again. He had even said "fair warning"
and the audience we're gazing at Mr. Sutton
as the prospective owner, when from j. w.
Rockwell, the middle-aged man with close
cut iron grey beard in the gallery, came
"Fifty-two thousand"
This time 1t was knOedler-M. KnOedler
the art dealer on Fifth avenue.
''Flfty-three thousand"
This was new man and unknown. He
sat in the centre Of the floor. He was short
stout and middle-aged, with dark gloves and
turned down collar,
'Fifty-four thousand"
.'Fifty-five thousand"
'Fifty-sIX thousand"
There was no work for the auctioneer now
There were whispers of "the French Govern
ment, the Corcoran Gallery, Of this, that
and the other, but Rockwell, Knoedler and
the new man had it all to themselves.
"Flfty-eight thousand was followed by
hfty-nine, sixty, sixty-one, siXty-two, sixty
three, sixty-four, sixty five
The ushers were doing the bidding. The
men only nodded to them at 81 900 nod up
'Sixty-six thousand dollars"
''Sixty-six thousand dollars" cried the
aucti0neer. ''Sixty-six, sixty-six, at sixty
six, going at sixty-six thousand; sixty-six
thousand dollars. Down 1t goes. Last call
Sixty-six, sixty-six thousand dollars. All
done? Sixty-six, sixty-six. going at sixty
six thousand dollars" he said. pausing amid
dead silence: ',Sixty-six Slowly, sixty-six
thousand dollars and"
''Soldw
There was round of applause and a buzz
of conversation. The purchaser shortly aft.
erward slipped from the hail. His name Is
j. f, Fletcher, and he bought it for some one
whose name Is not revealed, but is probably
Leland Stanford. There were various
rumors. 1t was said that Jay Gould sat next
him, and was giving him thousand dollar
nudges, but this could scarcely have been, as
MIR Gould sat two rows in front of him, with
his back turned, to say nothing of the fact
that the milli0naire's arms are as short as
his purse is long.
The Meissonier was gone, and the little
portrait, self-painted, Of the artist along with